Sailors were stunned after finding a creepy creature with the body of a shark and the face of a pig in the sea.
The bizarre animal was spotted by naval officers floating in the water before it was pulled pulled out of the ocean - and it at first glance it appeared to be a shark.
When the sailors took a closer look, the sea creature actually had a face that better resembled a pig with a peculiar 'snout'.
But they quickly dispelled rumours it was some kind of mutant after it was identified as an extremely rare Angular roughshark (Oxynotus centrina).
It is also sometimes known as a pig-faced shark because it emits a 'grunt' when pulled out of the water.
The creature was discovered in the waters at the Darsena Medicea marina in the town of Portoferraio on the Italian island of Elba.
The shark, which normally lives up 2,300 feet below the surface, is also listed on the IUCN Red List as endangered which means it is rarely spotted.
Despite the find happening three weeks ago, its discovery went viral when photos of the bizarre-looking marine animal were posted on social media.
The post immediately attracted hundreds of comments, including criticism from people who thought the shark had been captured and killed on purpose.
After it was removed from the water, the angular roughshark was taken to the Harbour Office to be studied and then ultimately disposed of.
Yuri Tiberto of the Elba Aquarium told local media that although rare, it was still not uncommon for it to be seen locally.
He added: "It is commonly called a 'pig fish' because when it comes out of the water it emits a kind of grunt.
"In the sea of the Tuscan archipelago, so rich in biodiversity... it is not uncommon to find this fish, and I can safely say that I often receive reports telling me of 'pig fish' that have ended up in local fishing nets.
"I also tried for a period to host it in one of the tanks at the aquarium, but soon I gave up because I saw that it is a species that does not adapt to captivity."
The angular roughshark is known to live in the East Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean. It is known for its broad, flattened head and its fat, blunt snout.
